PotashCorp board of directors
rejects BHP Billiton's unsolicited offerPotashCorp Share Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Inc. has announced that its board of directors, after careful
consideration with the assistance of its independent financial and legal advisors, voted unanimously to reject the unsolicited offer by BHP Billiton Development 2 (Canada) Limited, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of BHP Billiton Plc, to acquire all of the outstanding shares of PotashCorp for $130 per share in cash. The Board unanimously recommends that PotashCorp shareholders reject the BHP Billiton offer and not tender their shares.More

National Association of Manfacturers Monday economic reportNAM Share Last week's economic reports were slightly more positive than negative, with five of the eight major indicators improving. However, some of the improvements were suspect. The July upturn in housing starts was countered by continued decreases in building permits and a further decline in builder sentiment in August. Meanwhile, the 1.1 percent gain in manufacturing production was chiefly driven by a 9.9 percent surge in motor vehicle output, as
some companies decided not to shut down plant s for retooling operations, which is typical this time of the year. The biggest area of concern continues to be the employment situation, which appears to be weakening further.More

Boeing plans new manufacturing facility at Illinois' MidAmerica AirportBoeing Share The Boeing Company announced today that it is expanding its St. Louis-area operations with the planned opening of a new manufacturing facility at MidAmerica Airport in Mascoutah, Ill. The facility,
tentatively scheduled to open in late 2010 or early 2011, will use leased space in an existing building to house assembly and subassembly work. It is expected to initially bring approximately 75 new manufacturing jobs to Illinois.More

China pushes for policies favoring foreign investmentAgence
France-Presse via IndustryWeek Share Beijing has urged officials to implement policies aimed at encouraging foreign investment, amid rising complaints from overseas companies that China's business environment is worsening. The statement
issued by the State Council, or cabinet, on Aug. 19 was an apparent response to criticism from foreign governments and companies over perceived unfair policies and market restrictions.More

Deere's income climbs 47% on strong demand for large farm machineryIndustryWeek Share Deere & Company reported net income of $1.408 billion for the first nine months of the year. That compares with $1.096 billion last year. Worldwide net sales and revenues increased 16 percent,
to $6.837 billion, for the third quarter and were up 6 percent, to $18.803 billion, for nine months.More

Clean tech faces muddy futureThe Columbian Share Southwest Washington's emerging clean-technology industry could face long-term setbacks if the U.S. Congress fails to pass a comprehensive energy policy this year, state and local leaders say. Both the House and Senate this session have debated energy bills that seek to regulate greenhouse gas emissions in some form, whether by establishing a carbon cap-and-trade system or a national renewable energy standard. But the proposals have
so far failed to move forward.More

Wind turbine plant may spur offshore wind energy developmentnola.com Share Days after a British wind turbine company announced plans to begin manufacturing turbine blades and components in part of the Michoud Assembly Facility in eastern New Orleans, local environmentalists expressed optimism that a strong industry presence in the region could spur interest in offshore wind energy development among state officials and utility providers. State officials have long considered creating a portfolio standard
that would require regulated electricity utilities to acquire a portion of their energy from generators that use renewable sources, but placing wind power at the front of the mix has never gained much traction in southeastern Louisiana. More

Manufacturing to grow 5.7% in 2010, industry group predictsIndustryWeek Share The U.S. economy has decelerated to a "slow growth mode," primarily driven by consumers continuing to deleverage and rediscovering the need for thrift, according to a new report from The Manufacturers Alliance/MAPI. The group predicts that GDP will expand by 2.9 percent in 2010, followed by 2.6 percent growth in 2011. More

GM, China's SAIC to co-develop core
technologyThe Economic Times Share U.S. auto giant General Motors and China's Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp signed a deal that will see them
work together on producing new engine and transmission technology. Hu Maoyuan, chairman of SAIC Motor, China's leading automaker by sales, called the deal a milestone that would see two companies share key intellectual property and help SAIC move up the industry's value chain.More

New Jersey offshore windThe Energy Collective Share Friends and foes alike recognize that the relatively short time from blueprint to operation makes wind energy the next best hope for reducing carbon emissions in the near term. Still this blog has
despaired that the state of New York, despite being the headquarters for GE Energy, which wants a greater share of the off-shore wind market, would continue to fail. Despite having areas with excellent 7 to 9 wind quality close to major transmission lines, New York would not be one of those state where wind power development is most needed.More

What's your game plan?Renewable Energy World Share When it comes to federal financial incentives, proper planning is essential for renewable energy project owners and developers who seek to maximize available
incentives, avoid pitfalls and realize a quicker return on investment. Most renewable energy developers seek to benefit from one of the major federal renewable incentives — grants in lieu of investment tax credits, or loan guarantees from the Department of Energy. Why not both?More

US Steel spent $1.04 million on second quarter governmentt lobbyingThe Associated Press via Manufacturing.net Share United States Steel Corp. spent $1.04 million in the second quarter to lobby Congress and federal agencies on legislation ranging from clean energy to trade, according to a recent report. The total
was just shy of the $1.1 million that the steel manufacturer spent on lobbying in the year-ago quarter and slightly more than the $960,000 it spent in the first quarter.More